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Learning art by yourself....

Hello everyone

I'm new here as you might have noticed, no post regarding my drawings yet, I'm just finding it hard to get to the scanner. So the reason I posted this thread is that I never went to art school, nor did I have any teachers to tell me how to....do anything. And how do you feel, do you think that I might be able to pull it off by myself, or should I seek professional help
So I'm asking you for one thing....be honest, and tell me what you think about my case, without having the advantage of seeing my drawings first, so that your oppinion would be a generalized one.
And that's it, that's the question....."Is art possible by yourself, without the proper education for it?"

Think about it
P.S.: How would you have managed if you hadn't gone to art school?(regarding art of course)
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Good crit-ers will be rewarded a chocolate-chipped cookie

Well, never having gone to art school myself, I think it's managable. CA has definately been a huge help in many regards the past couple of years, because here, really, you aren't learning art by yourself. This place is a HUGE resource. Take advantage of it.

The best thing that I can suggest is do your studies. You don't have a link to a sketchbook or anything in your sig so I have no idea where you are skill wise, but keep to the basics and then start working out from there once you are comfortable with those. That's probably the best basic advice anyone can give without seeing what you can do.

The other thing is identify what type of art speaks to you the most, and then pursue that, but don't neglect your basics in favor of "style". For myself, I prefer more of a realistic approach, with illustrative touches, but I'm not quite sold on photo realism. You may prefer more of a comic style, I don't know.

but study whatever school it is that you prefer (school here being method of illustration). Find someone who is a master of that school that is willing to teach you, and then apply yourself.

And make sure that you open up a sketch thread if you haven't already, get busy, and don't worry about replies. Focus on your art, and to hell with the rest.

WOW! Oregano, you have never gone to art school!? I'm impressed.Charlie_2.0
Talking from my experience..
there is a lot of good things about artschool. One you get a good basis in the Basics, understanding of value, color,composition, design, anatomy, form,how to use certain mediums, and discipline. If you go to a good school where they have good teachers who have discovered their own tricks with doing things, this in my opinion is very valuable. They will show you many demos of how they do those tricks, or aslo just the basics on how to draw or paint something. It is more of a hands on experience.

The bad things about art school is, after graduation. haha. Maybe it was the school I went to but they focused a lot on the basics and technique, and not so much on the creative/originality aspect. Which I am trying to find for myself at this point, getting back to how I thought when I was a kid. Not so much how I draw things with style, but what is my subject matter, how do I want to express an idea or story. Another bad thing about school is it's expensive.
I feel you will learn quicker with school, rather then teaching yourself. You will need a lot of discipline. If you teach yourself or decide to go solo. still take life drawing classes somewhere. It will help you immensely. Pick up a few art books also, go to museums or Galleries, and just observe things. this will help you. Learn all the things I stated above, like value and whatnot, and don't forget about your creativity, that is also very important.

Thanks for the advice Oreg, one question, what do you use for the colour drawings (medium, stencils, everything), because so far I only drew in black and white.

Hey, no problem.

for myself, if I'm working digitally, I'll do a graphite (pencil) sketch, scan it and clean it up some, and do all my color work in Corel's Painter 9.

If I'm working traditionally, which isn't as often as I'd like right now, I usually work in oils. But I've also been known to work in colored pencil, acrylics (yuck) and water colors (meh, phooey). I prefer oils and colored pencils, though, as they are the most intuitive for me. But that just comes from lots and lots and lots of practice, and I'm still not where I want to be.

For working surface (again, talking traditional mediums) I'm pretty well all over the map right now. I use regular typing paper or my sketchbook for drawing, and then I've got a small ton of canvases for painting. Once I use those up, I'm switching over to Illustration board because back in the day (like fifteen years ago) I always prefered it's smooth surface to roughness of canvas. Took me a while to recall that little tidbit though (I didn't do any artwork to speak of for about 10 years, give or take, and just got back into doing seriously about 3 years ago). Plus I just purchased a used projector that I am eagerly awaiting the delivery of so I can get my pencil and paper sketches onto canvas/illustration board accurately.

Drawing in black and white can be incredibly evocotive, if handled correctly, so don't sell yourself short on that note.

Wow, Oregano, you really deserve that medal of honor thingy blinking next to your ninck, I never thought I'd get any help on this forum-since almoast everyone's an art school graduate, and I'm here with a telecommunications technician's diploma-, no offense to the ones who do care.
Thank you for your help guys, I'm ready to learn more, don't refrain from posting your ideas and tips, maybe share some techniques (now I know I'm asking too much...).
your help is highly appreciated

Charlie: I'm another self-taught, never even finished college, had a 30+year career in graphic design (with occasional illustration, filmmaking, etc., to relieve the tedium), am currently recovering skills (and my soul). I work much like Oregano at the mo', may be doing more traditional stuff soon 'cause i'm starting to tutor my daughter, who wants to attend art school (hope I can swing the $).

total formal art courses in my life: 2. one was jewelrymaking

it can be done. stick with it, even when it hurts some (it will). it is worth it.

Get all the studying material you can manage. Get all the books by Andrew Loomis, you used to be able to get them for free at saveloomis.org. You can still get them for free elsewhere on the web, you just have to do a little searching.

Draw and paint regularly, every day if you can manage it. Study, practice, experiment, ask for criticism.

If you can attend courses, do so. Figure drawing, illustration, etc.

Check the requierments of the studios or companies that you're interested in working with. Train yourself until you can send decent samples that at least meet the requiernments and quality. Look at the works by other illustrators who have worked for them, and strive for a similar quality of work.

I have to say I dont think that any one can " learn Art" but I do know its possible for an artist to grow in many different aspects thus strengthening there understanding of light form and shape thus giving them more creative choices and allowing for them to express them selves better.I think that ultimatly the choice wont change your growing as an artist. the very fact that your a member of this site will ensure your growth, but how fast you grow might differ when and if you do decide.

If you guys are interested I managed to scrounge up pictures of an old sculpture of mine(abstract of course), and also a picture of a face I'm still working on (W.I.P. doesn't even begin to describe it),wich I'll also post when it's finished.
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My drawing's still a little rusty, since I haven't drawn in quite some time (even back then I wasn't all that good at it)
Thx again guys for the help, I appreciate it

Just another thought about not going to art school... I never did either, but don't fall into the trap that I went into. I had it as a hobby, and for a while I wasn't progressing, and not much time to work on what I had. Which ended up with that for several years I didn't do anything with my drawing, and it took a year, a year and a half just to get up to where I once was skill wise, and I'm turning into an old woman.

Don't forget to spend tons and tons of time on it even if you're not feeling you're getting anywhere. If you're serious that is. Else you're gonna look back and think "man, what a waste of time".... And end up as a hobby artist like me.

While it is completely possible for you to be self-motivated and learn on your own, school is a great opportunity to grow and learn with other artists... being active here helps, but getting to know other people that are into the same things you are is priceless. You can't create anything of value in a vaccuum... get out, take some lifedrawing classes if you can. I felt the same way going into art school, that it was unnecessary... and a lot of it was, but the things I learned that weren't in the curriculum were what really made it worth my time. It was fun, and in turn made me enjoy making art all the more. I also learned a lot by doing projects that I normally wouldn't attempt on my own- and that's where you grow.